Collet with air cylinder operator



March 1, 1949.

A. FELIN ETAL COLLET WITH AIR CYLINDER OPERATOR Filed Nov. 6, 1944 l Ifnl/6711417152' Q7L/07z, Felzbb and' Lamis Ind/Leu5 Patented Mar. 1,1949 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE CGLLET WITH AIR CYLINDER OPERATOR tionof Illinois Application November 6, 1944, Serial No. 562,225

.3 Claims.

"the-arcuate indexing of thewo'rk holder 'and for "limitedlongitudinalalignmentbetween the mot-or andthe'work holder.

It'is a still more detailed object to provide in ranarrangement of thepresent typefor the thrust 'f reaction incident'to releasing-theworkfromthe holder to 'be `taken by a stop on themain frame of the machine whilevnormally ymaintaining free clearancebetween the reactionpointsso Aasnot to interfere withthe guided relationship between 1:"

thework'holding assembly and the'rnain frame during lateral guidedAreciprocation of Athe' work Yin connection with the successive indexingthereof. Likewise it is an `objectto `provide an 'arrangement whereinthe thrust incident *to the work Igripping operation is taken entirelybythe connecting means and no part thereof is transmitted to the frameor lateral guide.

Otherand more particular objects, advantages 'and uses of the4 presentinvention will beapparent from a reading of the `following specicationtakenin connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a partthereof 'and wherein:

The single figure comprises 'an elevation `in vsection 'of a gearcutting and shaping machine embodying byway ofexample one preferred formvof the present invention.

The gear cutting and shaping machin-e; the essentialparts lonly of whichare shown, is `indicated 'generally at II) 4and preferably comprises themainmac'hine body l! having supported thereon 'a collet and adapterassembly indicated gener- 4ally at I2 'arranged both for lateralreciprocation 'and'arcuate adjustment as will appear, this lcollet"'assemblybeing power operated by means `o'fliluid pressure responsive'motor I3 connected in a special mannerwith collet assembly I2 throughthe -fmediumof flexible coupling made up of portions I4, 116.

It is Atoithis novel "arrangement Lof #connecting and Asupporting 4meansindicated generally rat '.I'4 and I between the motor I3 and the colletfas- Vsembly `l2 that th'epresent invention is .particularly directed.

It will appear that vthis flexible connecting means is essential sincethe motor I3 must "be restrained vagainst arcuate turning `movementwhile the collet assembly must be indexed'arcuately and alsoreciprocated laterally while at the same time supporting the motor I3therebelow.

Flexible coupling portion I4 comprisesthreaded draw bolt fit terminatingat its lower end in a ball `2I cooperating with a socket 22 in the upperportion of tubular connector 23. Partition plate 2d is form-ed with acoaxial orifice 26 functioning to center and guide tubular socket 23.The outer periphery of partition plate 2t is confined within the lowerportion of bell housing 2l having an important function in connectionwith opening and closing the collet assemblyIZ as will appear.

The lower coupling portion I6 `includes an .adapter 28 having a firstthreaded portion `received in the internally threaded portionof sleeve-23fand a second larger externally threaded portion supporting tubularlcage 29 which in turn carries inthe lower portion thereof` a rollerbearing raceway or plate 3l. An upper racewayor plate 32 engages theball bearing rollers 33 and is connected through adapter 34 and drawbolt36 with the piston Ita of rmotor I3. Cup shape housing 3l is threadahlyassociated with the lower portion of bell housing 2l and contains asecond centering member 38. Housing 3'! is `provided vwith downwardlyextending boss 3S supporting upwardly extending yoke 4I forming part ofthe motor housing, bolt d2 serving to fasten the parts in assembledrelation.

Bell lock 63 extends from the main machine housing I I and protrudesradially inwardly through-an orice lll in bellh-ousing 21 functioning tolock the bell housing 3l and motor I3 --against arcuate movementnotwithstanding the arcuate indexing of the collet assembly.

Draw bolt 2Q extending from the upper coupling portion It is threadablyconnected with the lowerterminal of draw bar 46 the upper'terminal ofwhich is threadably connected with the'lower end of the collet proper5I.

The collet assembly I2 includes collet proper 5i split coaxially at 52and formed externally with a diverging cam surface`53 cooperating with acomplementary cam surface 54 within the collet assembly housing 56.Collet adapter 58 includes an upperradial-ange alsupportng colletAnousin'gproper 56 -and-fhaving'the lower terminal-portion thereofengaged by anti-friction bearing 6| when the bell housing 21 is inraised position as will appear. Embracing collet adapter 58 is asupporting collar 62 provided with a radially extending guide iiange 63cooperating with a complementary guideway 64 formed on main housingframe VFunctioning to effect limited lateral reciprocation of the collarand collet assembly there is provided a radially protruding connector 66yadapted to be driven by a cam '61 in proper correlation With thecutting tool and indexing operation, in a well known manner. Worm andgear assembly 68 is eiective to accomplish the arcuate indexing in theusual manner.

Particular attention is drawn to the provision of shoulder or stop 1|carried by main housing for the `purpose of cooperating with the lowerterminal portion of bell housing 21 in effecting the releasing movementof the collet It will be seen that with the collet 5| being moved in thework clamping direction the bell housing 21 engages the anti-frictionbearing 6i with the lower terminal portion of `collet adapter tube 58thus taking all of the reaction, none being transmitted to the guide 6sor frame This leaves ample clearance between stop 1| and the lowerterminal portion of bell housing 21 with the result that collet assemblyI2 may be freely indexed arcuately as well as laterally reciprocatedWithout -conilict with the main housing H or with the relationshipbetween guide lange 63 and guideway 64. Of particular importance is thefact that upon the operation of piston |3a, to release collet 5| thelower terminal portion of bell housing 21 is brought into supportingcontact with stop 1| and the reaction of the force required to releasethe -collet 5| is thus taken by the main housing stop 1| instead of byguide Vflange 63 and guideway 64.

v The lower portion of the motor housing i3 may contain the usual valveassembly having an inlet 10, outlet 12 and lever and lat-ch assembly 13for actuating the inlet and discharge valves. In theclosed position oflever assembly 13 pressure is admitted tothe upper side of piston lathus drawing collet 5| axially downwardly causing the same to grip towork piece. With the lever assembly 13 in the collet open position asindicated pressure is admitted to the underside of piston |3ar causingreaction in motor I3 to move the assembly downward with the result thatthe bell housing is first brought into contact with the stop 1| for ther`purpose of taking the reaction and then the collet 5| is pushedaxially outwardly for releasing the work piece. In the normal operatingposition of the machine with the work piece in gripped position withinthe collet the motor I3 and the flexible coupling portions I4, I6 aresuspended from the collet assembly. Any limited misalignment that mayoccur either in operating the collet to grip the work piece, or

runder other circumstances, is amply provided for by the first flexiblecoupling portion Ul while the second coupling 4portion I6 provides formaintaining the motor against arcuate movement while arcuately indexingthe collet assembly and work guide flange 63. This is true sinceineffecting (lil the closing or gripping operation of the collet thelongitudinal reaction is taken from the motor housing through cuphousing 31, bell housing 21, anti-friction bearing 6| and collet tubularadaptei` 58 while on the other hand the reaction force involved inopening the collet is taken by stop shoulder 1| engaged by the lowerterminal portion of bell housing 21 thus completely eliminating anyeiect upon the guide B and associated guide flange 63. This is veryimportant since in precision Work if this guide 64 and guide ilange 63Iwere subject to the reactions of opening and closing the collet thewear incident thereto would soon render continued precision workimpossible.

While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with aspecic embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way ofexample only and that the scope of the present invention is to bedetermined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a' gear -cutting machine including a gear holding and indexingcollet assembly, a main frame having a guide thereon, means forarcuately indexing saidcollet assembly and means for effecting a limitedlateral reciprocation of said collet assembly on said main frame guidein correlation with said indexing means; the combination therewith ofpower means suspended from said collet assembly for opening and closingsaid collet assembly comprising a fluid pressure responsive motor havinga cylinder defining housing containing a reciprocable piston; meansconnecting said piston with the gripping portion of said colletincluding a rst ball and socket coupling portion eiective to provideAfor limited misalignment, a second rotary anti-friction couplingportion effective to permit arcuate indexing of said collet, meansretaining said piston against arcuate ,movement during said indexingoperation; an embracing housing assembly connecting said motor housingwith said collet housing including a rst tubular collet adapter and abell housing adapter disposed therebelow, a stop shoulder on said framein normally spaced relation to the lower terminal of said bell housing,the operation of said piston in the collet opening direction beingeiective to first bring said lower terminal portion of said bell housinginto contact with said machine housing stop shoulder for the purpose oftaking the thrust following which said collet is moved axially outwardlyto open position, the reverse movement of said piston being effective torst move said lbell housing in the opposite direction into axialengagement with said collet tubular-adapter for taking the thrustincident to drawing said collet into gear gripping position.

2. In a work piece shaping machine including means defining a main framehaving a lateral guide thereon; means defining a work holding assemblyincluding a guidable portion adapted to be supported on and guided bysaid main frame guide, and means for effecting lateral reciprocation ofsaid work-holding assembly on said guide; means for arcuately indexingsaid assembly; the combination therewith of power means suspended fromsaid assembly for operating the same to work engaging and disengagingposition, said power means comprising apressure fluid responsive motorincluding a movable cylinder and a reciprocable piston therein, saidreciprocatory movement of the piston being adapted to open and closesaid work holding assembly, flexible coupling means connecting saidpiston with said Work holding assembly whereby to provide for limitedmisalignment resulting from said reciprocation and arcuate indexing,tubular and bell members connecting said motor and work assembly andadapted to be moved by said cylinder, said bell member having a portionadjacent said main frame, whereby movement of the piston to open saidwork holding assembly will move said bell member to abut said main frameportion thereby to take up thrust incident to the opening of the workholding assembly by said motor.

3. In a gear cutting machine including a main frame, a gear holdingcollet mounted in said frame and having means to both arcuately indexsaid collet and laterally reciprocate the same, the combinationtherewith of power means for operating said collet, said power meanscomprising a pressure fluid responsive motor including a movablecylinder and a reciprocable piston therein, a two-part housing assemblyconnecting said cylinder and said collet reciprocating means andarranged with one member adjacent said main frame, whereby movement ofsaid piston to open said collet will move said one member into abutmentwith the main frame thereby to take up thrust incident to the opening ofsaid collet by said piston, and means defining a flexible couplingconnecting said piston with said collet, said nexible coupling meansincluding a rst portion having a draw bar assembly one terminal of whichis connected with said collet, the other terminal being in the form of aball, a socket receiving said ball providing for limited misalignment; asecond nexible coupling portion connecting said socket with said piston,said last named flexible coupling portion including roller bearings andproviding for relative turning movement between said first couplingportion and said piston during indexing of said collet.

ANTON FELIN.

LOUIS J. MATTHEWS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Fellows Sept. 3, 1935 Number

